To work against the increasing burden of obesity, the STYJOBS / EDECTA (STYrian Juvenile OBesity Study / Early DetECtion of Atherosclerosis) project was started at the Medical University of Graz in 2003. STYJOBS / EDECTA is a prospective, observational study to improve the understanding of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular risk, immune mediated low grade inflammation, and metabolic changes in obesity by investigation of the "non-biased" early phase.

The main focus is the early identification of obesity and "worse lifestyle" related individual high risk profiles for cardiovascular/metabolic/immune-inflammatory disease in juvenile, young, and adult persons up to the age of 65 years. Based on this information, new and effective strategies are developed for preclinical diagnostics and early intervention. Concerning mechanisms of obesity and "bad" lifestyle associated pathologic conditions, risk biomarker patterns, chronic immune-mediated inflammation, disturbed adipokine balance, individual adipose tissue topography, brown and white adipose tissue (BAT/WAT) function, addiction like behaviour, genetics/epigenetics, early vascular pathology, and fatty liver disease are in focus of research. Interventional branches of study tested a holistic strategy comprehending sports, and lifestyle modification for efficiency. A better understanding of the role of a disturbed energy expenditure in the etiology of obesity should give the basis for new paradigms in therapy of obesity.

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00482924